Simple, Effective Bird Deterrent--Finally!

[CaptTom]

I've heard good things about the deterrent value of keeping a dead bird on deck. One guy painted dead seagulls all over his parking lot, but I never went back to see how it worked. I hear you can use any species; it doesn't have to be the "target" species. I wonder if it's just the sight, or smell that deters them. If just sight, selling plastic dead birds would be a great business opportunity.

Originally Posted by mowerandy

The rather beautiful egret that currently lives in my cockpit can nimbly step over the spiders web of lines that I string up

Interesting. Never heard that to fail. Maybe because egrets are more "into" walking than most birds. Good to know. Luckily we don't have a big problem with them around our way.

[mowerandy]

"I gave streamers 72 places to begin. Streamers go up from the surface from a conductive source to provide lighting a path to travel to Earth. I used aircraft safety wire."

...umm...trying to figure how providing a path of lower resistance between the clouds and your masthead affords you any lightning protection? Not saying it doesn't, but I just cant see how.

The streamers that reach upward towards down-bound lightning bolts are ionisation trails in the air I think. Ever felt your hair stand on end in a lightning storm? I think those are ionisation trails inviting the next bolt to strike your head, and you should crouch low to the ground with feet together (so as not to create a ground-potential which might result in electrocution) immediately. I had this once in Sydney harbour - longish hair standing on end at the helm in a storm. I let go of the metal helm and crouched low in my rubber soled seaboots in the teeming rain, and then a decent bolt hit the tiny catamaran (less than a third our mast height) 20 yards away. Cranked up the iron spinnaker and departed the area without delay as the next strike lit up a vigorous bushfire on the adjacent headland despite the veritable deluge of rain. Amazing how much water you can evaporate instantly with 20,000 odd degrees. Gotta love the sky monster's arc welder!
PS: chain around the mast and over the side asap - the anchor will do in an emergency if tied off short. Supposedly stops you getting a hole blown out of the bottom of your non-metal boat (tho prolly wont save your electronics - teeth I dunno. That sounds truly horrible - glad you are still with us Captain Kev).

Sorry for the lack of relevance to the OP people, but lightning would be a great bird deterrent eh. I dare you birds to sit on my masthead in a lightning storm!

[Seymore]

Originally Posted by LeGe

Gulls are federally protected????

Seagulls are federally protected because they clean up dead carrion on the shore.

[LeGe]

Aaaaarrrrghh indeed brother.

[Bruce K]

Originally Posted by Seymore

Seagulls are federally protected because they clean up dead carrion on the shore.

In my area the natural main food of seagulls is hot chips, French Fries to you from the USA. Many here call seagulls the "Rats of the Air"
I find it strange that in the USA it is illegal to kill seagulls, but legal to kill people! (Death Penalty)

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Bruce K

In my area the natural main food of seagulls is hot chips, French Fries to you from the USA. Many here call seagulls the "Rats of the Air"
I find it strange that in the USA it is illegal to kill seagulls, but legal to kill people! (Death Penalty)

Sea Gulls are a protected species most everywhere under the international Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. "Taking" (or killing) Gulls can be permitted in the US by the Fish and Wildlife Service where they are shown to be a hazard to life and limb. Putting a Gull to death is no more or less onerous than putting a homicidal felon to death but only slightly less difficult.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Tayana42

So HyLyte, what is this recording called and can you get a source from your neighbor? I’ve never heard of one that actually worked so I’d be interested to know more.

I finally spoke with our slip neighbor, Murphy, and it seems his "Bird Bane" is, in fact, a "Bird-B-Gone" replaying Starling distress calls at five minute intervals. He reports that the device is capable of replaying distress calls for Gulls, Pelicans, Osprey and the like but, thus far, simply playing the Starling calls has motivated virtually all the offenders to vacate the area.

Regarding the matter the following is excerpted from the handbook of the "Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management":

Recorded alarm and distress calls of birds are very effective in frightening many species of birds and are useful in both rural and urban situations. The calls are amplified and broadcasted (Fig. 2a). Periodically move the broadcast units to enhance the effectiveness of such calls. If stationary units must be used, increase the volume to achieve greater responses. Electronically produced sounds such as Bird-X , AV-ALARM , or other sound generators (Fig. 2b), will frighten birds, but are usually not as effective as amplified recorded bird calls. This should not discourage their use, however. The greater the variety and disruptiveness of sounds, the more effective the method

Finally, for what its worth, as of 1430 yesterday, two weeks after Murphy began broadcasting his bird distress calls, our decks were still as clean as a whistle and there wasn't a bird in sight. Even the Pelicans that normally inhabit our breakwater have vacated. This is the longest we've gone without being "pooped out" in the last 25 years! Hopefully it will last!

FWIW...

[a64pilot]

Airports (At least the Air Force) and farmers have tried propane cannons to scare off birds, it works well initially, but seemingly a bird can even become used to a propane cannon.

[curtis742]

Popcorn on a hook works amazingly well in aquiring new specimens.

[Bruce K]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Sea Gulls are a protected species most everywhere under the international Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. "Taking" (or killing) Gulls can be permitted in the US by the Fish and Wildlife Service where they are shown to be a hazard to life and limb. Putting a Gull to death is no more or less onerous than putting a homicidal felon to death but only slightly less difficult.

It was very easy to put "homicidal felon" Larry Griffin to death!

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Bruce K

It was very easy to put "homicidal felon" Larry Griffin to death!

Jeeze Bruce, ttry focusing on the subject of the discussion--bird deterrents. My comment related to an earlier post concerning using the corpse of a dead gull--rather a disgusting thought, no?--and a later comment concerning whether Gulls are a protected species in the US. My response--to such troll bait--was to point out that Gulls are a protected species in the US and most other countries pursuant to an international migratory bird protection treaty signed 100 years ago. There are exceptions to that treaty under which protected birds can be "taken" but obtaining a permit to do so is very difficult and is a last resort. The reference to putting a "homicidal felon" to death was merely intended to emphasize the difficulty of obtaining such a permit in light of the fact that, in the US, it takes an average of 178 months--or 14.63 years-- to effect an "execution" even of the worst offenders. I realize that OZ is a kinder, gentler, nation that has outlawed capital punishment and I presume that extends to Sea Gulls, eh?

In the mean time, all we're discussing on this thread is the merit of an auditory bird deterrent which, as of 1730 yesterday was still proving effective after 2+ weeks. Notably, our dock neighbor has been shutting the thing down between sunset and sunrise which has not diminished the effectiveness of the device, perhaps because the birds bed down and roost during the hours of darkness?

N'any case, try to keep your eye on the ball Bruce and if you haven't anything useful to contribute to the subject.....

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Airports (At least the Air Force) and farmers have tried propane cannons to scare off birds, it works well initially, but seemingly a bird can even become used to a propane cannon.

I don't think a "Propane Cannon" would be too welcome in most marinas and particularly not ours where there are a fair number of vets that would be hitting the deck every time the thing popped off--as evidenced by the involuntary reactions of many when the sunset cannon is fired without forewarning. BTDT....

[svHyLyte]

A final/closing note...

When I learned what device our neighbor was using--a "Bird-B-Gone"--and how costly they are (about $200+/- USD for a single speaker version) I offered to make a contribution to cover his expense considering the benefit to us of his device. He thanked me but declined as it seems the device has proven so effective--at least thus far--and so many other members of our club have benefited--including both in the marina/boat basin and our clubhouse roof--that the Club has volunteered to reimburse his expense--a cost of about $0.31 per member--and will add several additional speakers to boot!. I guess that's a pretty affirmative vote of confidence, No?

Here Homer nods...

[Geoff54]

If anyone is interested, West Marine currently has the Bird-B-Gone Bird Chase Super Sonic on-line for $119.99 + tax, free shipping - looks to be the same unit as sold elsewhere for $200. No affiliation, just a good price I found. Hope it works.

[Geoff54]

Just found it for $100.83. West Marine price matched.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016ALIFO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1L4LS2KNDBWYV&psc=1